OSAKA, Japan — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 8, 2015 — Panasonic Corporation announced today that it has developed the industry’s smallest*¹ semiconductor device, the “PhotoMOS”^[1] CC type series, which achieves low consumption current and contributes to equipment downsizing. The relay is operated with a low consumption current, and as a result the working time of the battery operating the equipment is longer. It enables steady operation for measuring equipment, probe cards ^[2], wearable devices, security equipment and medical equipment.

The PhotoMOS CC type series will be shipped in May 2015.

Owing to increasing semiconductor density and greater on-chip integration, chips are being made with many more pins. Since a relay is needed to measure current and voltage on each pin, demand has been growing to keep down the size of IC testers, probe cards, and other measuring equipment. Meanwhile, it is also imperative to minimize consumption current in order to extend the battery life of equipment such as wearable devices and security equipment, and medical equipment that include a high number of relays. Panasonic has succeeded in creating the industry’s smallest*¹ (1.8 × 1.95 × 0.8 mm) “PhotoMOS” CC type, which also boasts a low consumption current (0.2mA). Panasonic’s unique feature capacitor couples isolation^[3] with a small size and a low consumption current. It can operate in high operating temperatures (up to 105°C) and can be used in equipment designed to operate in high temperature environments.